The Pendant of Peril
by LocalTalent53
Summary: After growing up in a secluded village all of his life, a young man named Link is sent off on quest greater than he could ever imagine in the dark times that plague Hyrule. Lost and confused, he stumbles through unfamiliar territory with only a mysterious pendant that causes night terrors to guide him. Deceptive, but an OoT sequel.
1. Introduction

Notes: For those of you who are returning readers, I welcome you back as we take a new look at an old journey. Hopefully things will go more smoothly this time around.

For those of you who are new, this is a rewrite/re-upload of _The Pendant of Peril_, a tale concerning a man named Link as he finds himself set on an adventure he never would have dreamed of with a cursed pendant in hand. Though it's deceptively so at first, this is indeed a sequel to _Ocarina of Time._ You may find yourself seeing familiar faces from the good ol' land of Hyrule, but how they appear may surprise you. Time does such things to people.

Either way, it's about time to get the show up and running. I hope you all enjoy the story, newcomer or veteran reader!

-LocalTalent53

_Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda, its characters, locations, etc. These are properties of Nintendo and its respected companies._

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**The Pendant of Peril**

**1**

**Introduction**

Hello. I'm Link. Right now, my life has taken a turn for the worse. Or is it for the better? I really don't know, nor do I care much anymore. What's important is that someone is here, reading this. I don't know who, but the fact that someone is scanning through my journal makes me feel a lot better.

I am going to share a story with you. My journey. From the peaceful beginning, to the final stand. From my early friends, like Uunco and Caw, to my later allies, such as Zelda, even to my great enemies. Though I've yet to figure out exactly everything that's been going on, I've decided to record what I know has transpired in order to get a better grip on myself as I go through this ordeal. Many challenges still stand before me, and to be honest I'm quite nervous.

But I am getting way ahead of myself.

Before I continue, I'd like to say a few things. First, this journal is a record of what's happened to me since I left Mycenia Village. Second, this is not the brightest of tales; it isn't some tale of some boy clad in green on his merry way to the Happy Mask Shop. Third, as you can most likely tell, I am not the Link from the legends. He disappeared. He's most likely somewhere, laughing at my misfortune. Finally, as I write this some six months or so later, I realize that some of my allies I've gained over this time will never see this record of our lives. Some may even be dead.

To think all of this horror, all of this blood and battle began with a pendant. A freaking pendant.

But I've rambled long enough…it's time to start from the very beginning.


	2. The Marriage

**Arc One: Mycenia**

**2  
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**The Marriage  
**

Now, where should this begin? Amidst all the messes that have happened, the beginning feels like a blur of a memory. I suppose the best place to start would be right from where my woes first began: The day I received that pendant.

Though I would come to loathe the trinket later, at first it had been something dear, something symbolic. I first received the pendant on the day of my wedding.

My hometown was the village of Mycenia, a small settlement located deep within the lush Lyna Forest. The forest itself was off to the west of Hyrule Castle Town and generally undisturbed by outside elements. It served as a cradle of sorts—maybe a cage if one were to look at it in another manner. Nonetheless, it was my home.

It was village tradition in Mycenia to be wedded by the village patriarch in his home north of the river. Men were given pendants to wear as a symbol of their adulthood while women were given intricate wooden bracelets. It wasn't much, but given the humble heritage of the village and its general location one couldn't expect much else.

I myself was around eighteen at the time, that nebulous period between adolescence and adulthood. Having no recollection of my parents, many of the villagers had helped me get by over the years and had provided me the kind of hospitality only neighbors could offer. With their help, I had been taught the necessities of life and had received their aid in putting together a rough but manageable home out of logs and sweat.

On that crucial day, I had been asked to chop up thick chunks of wood with a pair of my friends. The two guys who decided to tag along were childhood friends of mine, named Uunco and Caw.

Uunco was a midsized guy with brown, curled hair. He was one of the most eccentric guys I knew seemingly never able to act his age, but I loved him for it. He was a creative man (few in the village could claim to have created a half-working bucket out of thick leaves), but certainly not the most well prepared for social interaction. For as long as I could remember, it was his family who had taken me in before I had acquired a home of my own. Of all my friends, we were closest by far.

Caw, on the other hand, stood almost a head shorter than me with dark hair that was comparatively short as well. He was always a quiet fellow, possessing a curtness about him that always left his intentions clear as day. When I had first tried to cut timber (nearly leaving an axe-thick scar in my foot in the process), Caw had come up to me and told me I was "Never gonna be any good at cutting logs." I had the very adult reaction of engaging in a fist fight. Now, years later, we were heading out and working together.

At the time, spring had settled in and Mycenia found itself flirting between rain and shine every other day. The sporadic weather was great for crops, but the rainy days made even the simplest of chores difficult. No one wanted to catch a cold, after all.

It was midday. Though it was still spring, the heat was intense and the humidity left us burning up in our tunics. I swung the axe, cleaving a piece of wood in two. Sighing, I added it to the pile with a sense of fatigue. I had not gotten much sleep the night before due to the rain, and I was paying for it tenfold now. I wiped my brow and gazed out at the various houses in the village. At the northern end of the village were the residential homes and property of various individuals, myself included. Various small gardens and crops were sprinkled about them. Further to the south was the decrepit mess hall. A few villagers stepped out, talking to themselves in a jovial manner. I heard a shout from some distance away, calling my name.

I recognized the voice and glanced over at my friends. "Sounds like Sarah's back from the elder's hut."

"Took her time," Caw murmured.

"Yeah, while we've been out here doing all the hard work," I chuckled. Straightening up, I added, "Wonder why it took so long…"

"Who knows? Usually little errands like that don't take up too much time."

The heat continued to bear down upon us. Uunco sighed. "I wonder if she's getting ready to settle down. Is she going to marry you, Link?"

I blushed. "Whoa, since when did this divert to marriage? She was sent to go check on Elder Jaq. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Whatever you say," said Caw.

As the two of them went back to chopping wood I watched Sarah close the gap between us. An energetic youth of bright cheeriness, her silky black hair and warm brown eyes left me in good spirits whenever she approached. Having gotten to know her after fixing a broken plank on her parents' rooftop in the rainy season, we had grown rather close over the years.

Now, it seemed not even she had escaped the effects of the warm afternoon. She looked exhausted from running back to the village, sweat pouring down her face and the curls of her hair in disarray. She smelled of harried treks in the forest and had smeared dirt and sweat stains about her simple dress.

I grinned despite my fatigue. "What's going on, Sarah? What happened at the hut?"

Between panting breaths, "Link…the elder wants firewood for the…for the flame he keeps in his home. I need your help getting some."

Caw seemed suspicious. "On a hot day like this? Sounds strange to me."

Uunco snickered, "Maybe they're going to go off to get mar—"

I elbowed him before picking up three small logs of firewood. "Let's not waste any time then." Handing one to Sarah, I picked up another for good measure.

"Hey, I cut those!" Uunco whined. I spared him no response, and the two of us hurried off.

Stepping out into the forest, I felt the cool air brush past my hair as we jogged up to the river. Following it upstream would take us to the patriarch's home. Despite the weight of the logs I was carrying, I felt myself relax as the gush of river water flowed past us. Lyna Forest itself was a maze of sun drenched tangles of alder, elm and beech. Ferns and other shrubbery were scattered about the dry fertile soil beneath our feet. Rays of sunlight peeked through the treetops and danced about with the movement of leaves. When they reached out to the river, flashes of color played in the air as if the day would never end.

With a tired sigh, I finally caught sight of the hut farther up past the river. A stocky home of beech, the doorway had wooden beads strung about it. It sat atop a raised slab of stone decorated with various creeds of the village. The makeshift chimney billowed smoke from a currently active fireplace inside. We closed the gap as quickly as possible.

Sweating, I felt a touch of nervousness grip me. At that moment, we stood before the great veil that was the entryway. I had never actually been in the elder's home before. A long pause. My arms stung slightly. A touch of cloudiness edged my vision.

Sarah wiped her brow. "Let's go in. We're just keeping him waiting by standing here." Inhaling deeply, I nodded before we entered.

Inside, the musky scent of incense wafted over to us. The interior of the hut was not vast; to the left of me was an ancient, cracked table with seats for three. Further past it sat two beech beds, each with linen sheets over fluffed up mattresses. These were barely visible in the corner due to us blocking the open doorway as well as the dimness of the fireplace on the opposite side of the room. The logs had long been kindled and now sat dying as mostly ash and soot upon the cool stone floor. Small discs of flint and iron pyrite sat not far away. An empty pot for boiling sat lonely above it; a faint coat of moisture suggested it had been used in recent hours.

At the other end of the room, the two occupants stood setting up a small altar that was the source of the overbearing aroma in the abode. About it were candles of various scents and colors. A cloth of rare burgundy draped its front. Many bottles of what must have been spices and incenses were set before it, clearly under some sort of consideration. Engraved patterns like embroidery adorned a large goblet. Above it, fine decorations carved of wood hung from the wall.

The younger of the two figures was Therel, the elder's messenger for when he required assistance at any given time. Unlike Sarah and I, he was quite content to remain inside the majority of the day. A pang of envy gripped me.

Next to him was the respected patriarch of the village, Elder Jaq. A munificent man of many years, his short stature belied his wisdom. His milky eyes nearly matched the grayed beard that graced his chin. His was a wrinkled countenance of amiability and assurance. He eyed us with gentle smile and spoke with his raspy voice, "Welcome, welcome! Both of you have wonderful timing. The fire has gone out."

Sarah entered (though with noted hesitance in her stride) and I attempted to mimic the act. Therel approached us and took the logs to the ash pile. Setting most to the side and one in the fireplace, he lit it with the pyrite and flint. Turning to Jaq he said, "I'll be off to the village now, Sir."

The elder beamed. "Very well." Therel gave us a quick nod before heading out in his fast paced manner. Turning back to us, Elder Jaq stepped forward with a prolonged, rickety amble. "Thank you both for bringing wood all the way up here. It must have been very tiring."

"No…no problem," I breathed. For good measure, I added, "Elder Jaq." My lack of sleep was leaving a greater impact than I would have liked. Sarah was oddly quiet.

Jaq continued, "While I have asked Sarah to come here many times, I believe today marks the first time I have invited you into my home, Link."

I had to wipe sweat from my eyes. Damn my fatigue. "It's an honor, Sir."

He glanced toward the altar. "Take a gander at it. It's lovely, is it not? Therel and I put much work into it." His eyes met mine, a glint in them. "In all honesty, my dear boy, I must say that you've been had."

I blinked. "Huh? What do you mean, Sir?"

He chuckled. Sarah was now blushing. I hadn't taken the hint yet. "Well, I talked it over with the young lass next to you, and she seems compliant enough. My friend," and with this line his eyes lit up in delight, "you are getting married this evening!"

More blinking. A single, obtuse moment of utter silence. My brain shut off. "What?" Damn this hazy state. So tired.

"It's exactly what it sounds like, Link. I have had much time to speak with dear Sarah here about it. She has told me much about how strongly her emotions run. Today I brought it up, and we talked it over in detail. Surely you were wondering why it took her so long to return?" Sarah looked flustered.

Despite that brain-dead exhausted state, I could tell he was enjoying every moment of this. "I, uh…I—"

"Give your answer already!" she blurted. At this, it was my turn to blush.

Elder Jaq grinned. "Well, boy? What will your answer be?"

"I-I, uh," I stammered. "T-this is all…it's all happening so fast, Sir. I mean, we've talked about it, I mean…" Man, all it took was a sudden marriage proposal and I was a blubbering wreck. I looked to Sarah. "You're serious about this?"

"Of course." That look in her eyes told me she was a bit offended by that question. "We wouldn't be here otherwise…" Her eyes flitted away again in embarrassment.

I forced myself to calm down. "W-well…" Deep breath, you fool! Breathe! "I mean. If you really want to…I'd be up for it." Smooth. Nonetheless, I caught that faint aura of glee and anticipation exuding from her.

Jaq clapped his hands together. "Wonderful! One last confirmation: Are you both certain you are ready for this?" I felt Sarah's hand snake its way into mine. My vision grew more cloudy at the edges.

We gazed at each for a long moment, then spoke our agreement.

"Then both of you, please get down on your knees before the altar."

Much to my eternal shame—even to this day—my memories of everything that happened after that are blurry. I'm sure Sarah would smack me, were she to find out. I figure that the exhaustion of the day's events, my lack of sleep, and the shock and fatigue of newfound connubial relations took such a toll on me that all that's left is a faint image of it all.

I do remember that thick aroma of incense, ever stronger at that holy altar; burning candles of blues and greens and purples (colors that I had rarely seen all my life); that giddy, nervous look on Sarah's face; the _hrmmm_ of Elder Jaq's thoughtful exhalations. Bringing the liquid of the goblet to my face, the smell sweet and taste unknown to me; words spoken, many from Jaq and a few affirmations on our part; crackling flames in that corner so far away now.

Of all the things I will never forget, the pendant will forever remain scarred into my mind: At some point near the conclusion of our marriage rites, we were bestowed our gifts from the elder. The bracelet Sarah received was crafted with much love and color. Lavender twisted and tangled with cardinal red in a glorious contrast about her wrist.

And placed about my neck was my own token of adulthood. The pendant hung by a thin but reliable twine necklace, the touch of which was present but not unbearable upon my neck. The pendant itself was encased into a spherical hold of silver, causing the back of it to gleam even in the darkly lit home. Engraved like the soul of one's own being was a gorgeous emerald that seemed so deep that I felt I could gaze into it for an eternity and never see the other end. It had a life of its own that entranced me without end.

And then—as if from nothing—we were married. We stood, and everything from then on threatened to dissolve from the confines of my mind. I can barely recall now the glow of twilight as we made our way home, barely register the warm lit torches and the celebrations and congratulations. I barely recall the proud parents of my wife and their pet names for each other (something along their usual chirps of "Honey" and "Darling"). I almost don't remember finally returning home after all of that. And though I remember what happened later that night, anything beyond that was impossible to decipher.

So ended the day of my marriage—the beginning of my adulthood, so to speak. Looking back now, I can't help but laugh at it all. It went by so damn fast, and I just jumped on in with nary a question. Quite the fool I was (and perhaps still am). Then again, I suppose spontaneity is what keeps one on their toes.

I should have known my luck was running out. It should have been so clear then that everything was about to change.


End file.
